Great-Grandson Of Founder In Latest Class

Aero-News has learned 46 new Flight Service Specialists will graduate this week from Lockheed Martin's Flight Service Academy in Prescott Valley, AZ. Following graduation, each of the 46 students will be assigned to one of the Flight Service Stations across the US, working to serve the general aviation community as a Lockheed Martin employee.

The graduation ceremony of the third and fourth classes of Flight Service Specialists will be held Thursday. Among the graduates will be John Lockheed, great grandson of company founder Allan Loughead.

John Lockheed also went into an aviation field, as had his father and grandfather before him. He served with the US Air Force in Kirkuk, Iraq and was recognized as both Airman of the Year and Air Traffic Controller of the Year by the Air National Guard in 2004. Lockheed received the elite honor of being selected as one of the U.S. Air Force's Twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year in 2005.

Students at the Flight Service Academy have undergone ten weeks of stringent academic classes. The course provides pre-requisite core knowledge, including meteorology and basic navigation, required for their subsequent on-the-job training and certifications as Flight Service Specialists.

As Aero-News reported, Lockheed Martin Information Technology assumed operation of 58 Flight Service Stations in October 2005, after being awarded a $1.7 billion outsourcing contract by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Lockheed Martin aims to serve the flying community with a revitalized system consisting of three new hubs and 17 refurbished automated Flight Service Stations.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com